FINAL FAREWELL: A steady stream of mourners queue up outside the home of Yeshwant Kerkar in Tivim, paying their respects to the dhond who lost his life in the tragic Shirgao zatra stampede.
MAPUSA
A pall of sorrow hangs heavy over the quiet village of Tivim, as residents come to terms with the devastating loss of three of their own in the tragic stampede that unfolded during the Lairai Devi Zatra at Shirgao early Saturday morning. The deadly incident claimed six lives in total, three of whom were from this close-knit community, shaking the village to its core.
Among the victims was 52-year-old Tanuja Khautankar from Auchit-vaddo, Tivim, a devout participant of the zatra, who had been a dhond – a devotee who walks over embers as part of the ritual – for the past 15 years.
Known for her simplicity and strong faith, Tanuja was accompanied that night by her younger daughter, Ruthika Khautankar, a class ninth student who is also a dhond.
Ruthika survived the stampede but is currently recovering from injuries at the North Goa District Hospital.
Their home, once resonating with spiritual chants and simple joys, now echoes with grief.
Tanuja’s elder daughter, a college student, remains in a state of shock, unable to process the sudden turn of events.
Her husband sits in stunned silence, his eyes vacant, grappling with the void left behind.
“They were very devout and lived a simple, carefree life. We never imagined our Tanuja would be taken away in such a horrific way,” shared a grieving relative.
Just a few lanes away, another family is struggling with the heart-breaking loss of 17-year-old Adhitya Khautankar, a relative of Tanuja.
Having passed SSC recently from St Ann’s High School, Tivim, Adhitya had just begun his journey into higher education.
His dreams, so full of promise, were cruelly cut short.
The family, utterly shattered, struggles to come to terms with the absence of their only son.
His mother’s cries echo through their home, while his father, a driver by profession, sits broken, mourning the heir he lost.
“Adhitya had his whole life ahead of him. He was a loving boy, always full of energy and dreams. It feels like the world has collapsed on us,” said his uncle, eyes brimming with tears.
The third victim from Tivim was 40-year-old Yeshwant Kerkar, a contractor and sole breadwinner for his family. Also a dhond, Yeshwant perished in the same stampede, leaving behind two young children – a daughter in class fifth and a son in class third.
The family now faces not only an emotional chasm but also an uncertain financial future. “Yeshwant worked hard to support his family. Now with him gone, we don’t know how they’ll manage. This tragedy has upended everything,” said a neighbour.
As Tivim mourns its lost sons and daughters, questions loom large over the safety measures during large-scale religious gatherings.
